1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a synthetic resin pallet and, more particularly, to a pallet for a forklift used when transporting, moving and storing articles.
2. Description of the Related Art
A synthetic resin pallet has hitherto been manufactured as a pallet for a forklift. Normally, this kind of synthetic resin pallet is basically is constructed by forming two pallet constructive members by injection molding and making these pallet constrictive members integral with each other.
To be specific, each of the two pallet constructive members formed by the injection molding includes a board, block (foot) constructive members provided in adequate positions on the inside of the board, and reinforcing ribs provided intersecting lengthwise and crosswise on the inside of this board. The synthetic resin pallet is manufactured by making these pallet constructive members face to each other, matching the block constructive members with each other and integrally welding the matched portions thereof. In this construction, the welded block constructive members serve as the blocks (feet) of the synthetic resin pallet, and a space between these blocks serves as a fork entry port.
It is a well-known fact that the formation of such reinforcing ribs on the inner surface of the board of each pallet constructive member is extremely effective in terms of enhancing a flexural strength of the board and preventing an occurrence of flexure on the board when transporting and moving a load with the forklift.
The above-described reinforcing ribs exhibit a large effect in terms of increasing the flexural strength of the board as described above. While on the other hand, however, there arises a problem in which a weight of the synthetic resin pallet increases correspondingly. Hence, there has been contrived a method of reducing the weight of the whole by hollowing those reinforcing ribs while enhancing the board flexural strength. This type of synthetic resin pallet is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No.5-162751.
Incidentally, the above-described prior art synthetic resin pallet acquired a high evaluation because of the board flexural strength being very large owing to the hollowed reinforcing ribs but lighter in weight than the conventional products.
The hollowed reinforcing ribs is not, however, so strong against an impact although large in terms of the flexural strength. Accordingly, the reinforcing ribs peripheral to the port area of the fork entry port of the synthetic resin pallet present a problem in terms of a durability of the synthetic resin pallet, wherein if mistakenly collided with the fork just when the fork is inserted, the hollowed reinforcing ribs are liable to be broken by the impact.
Further, the prior art synthetic resin pallet has, in addition to the problems given above, a problem in which the portions adjacent to the port area of the fork entry port, in other words, block edge portions on both sides of the port area of the fork entry port are also liable to be damaged by the collision with the fork, and, when it happens that the block edge portions on both sides are damaged even if the strength of the port area of the fork entry port is enhanced, the durability of the pallet as a whole can not be increased.